Writing is about sharing ideas and thoughts. There are many medium that a writer could now choose to write hence express and share their writings. With the new technology that the world has provides to us human being, writers can now share their ideology on thoughts and expression thru online media such as blog, web page or even social networking website such as facebook, twitter, tagged and many more to mention. However, most writers who want to share their ideology in deliberating ideas will normally choose web blog as a medium of expression. According to Prof. Dato’ Mohd. Hamdan Adnan in his ‘Dictionary for communication and public relations’, online journalism are fairly justified as computer reporting medium utilizing multimedia to tell stories. Many writers have this ideology that by using online media, their limitation in expressing their thoughts and expression are freer to compare to offline news where there are editors that will do the gatekeeping in order to keep peace and harmony of our nation in good order. The question now is how ready are we Malaysian writers to carry the responsibility of being ethical writers and writing ethical news?
As another writer, I agree that a writer should be given their freedom of speech or should I say “freedom of writing” however as human being with weakness we should know our limitation in being “free”. Rules are made in order to guide human being, without rules human being will not live in peace and harmony, thus this theory of rules are applicable to the topic of online journalism should be controlled.
Past years back, online journalism was given the freedom until Raja Petra Kamarudin, blogger and editor known for Malaysia Today (news portal) made more “transparent” comments and article write up published in Malaysia Today and his blog. Among the comments that was seen has cross over the limit was on the issue that he writes in his Malaysia Today's columns, he advocates for transparency, accountability and justice in the Malaysian political system. What make his case become worse when he proudly made comments allegedly insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad entitled "I Promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim" allegedly used sentences that insulted Muslims. With the article, he was detained under Internal Security Act. Held under a draconian security law without trial, Raja Petra was jailed at the Kamunting Detention Center in northern Perak state, which has 60 detainees under ISA, most of whom are suspected Islamic extremists. Hence, what Raja Petra has done is clearly to the rational state of mind is wrong. He should have been more professional in deliberating and delivering his words in the article. Our culture in Malaysia are no more close to compare to the Western culture such as in America where the population and culture of people are obviously different to us here, therefore our writers have to be aware to our culture sensitivity even if what writers(outside) wants or try to share with the society are facts that the governments don’t want to reveal. That’s the nature of having governments in a nation.
I believe there will always be pros and cons in every decision making process. Freedom of writing for a writer has always been the issue that all Malaysian writers fight for, however in my own perspective and ideology, I just have to say that many Malaysian writers are not ready to be ethical and responsible in deliberating and sharing their thoughts and opinions. Bias, racism and sensitive issues have always been the tools to attract readers hence somehow or rather it is going to influence the fresh mentality of our online readers. With these arguments, I believe that Malaysian online journalism should be controlled.
As another writer, I agree that a writer should be given their freedom of speech or should I say “freedom of writing” however as human being with weakness we should know our limitation in being “free”. Rules are made in order to guide human being, without rules human being will not live in peace and harmony, thus this theory of rules are applicable to the topic of online journalism should be controlled.
Past years back, online journalism was given the freedom until Raja Petra Kamarudin, blogger and editor known for Malaysia Today (news portal) made more “transparent” comments and article write up published in Malaysia Today and his blog. Among the comments that was seen has cross over the limit was on the issue that he writes in his Malaysia Today's columns, he advocates for transparency, accountability and justice in the Malaysian political system. What make his case become worse when he proudly made comments allegedly insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad entitled "I Promise to be a good, non-hypocritical Muslim" allegedly used sentences that insulted Muslims. With the article, he was detained under Internal Security Act. Held under a draconian security law without trial, Raja Petra was jailed at the Kamunting Detention Center in northern Perak state, which has 60 detainees under ISA, most of whom are suspected Islamic extremists. Hence, what Raja Petra has done is clearly to the rational state of mind is wrong. He should have been more professional in deliberating and delivering his words in the article. Our culture in Malaysia are no more close to compare to the Western culture such as in America where the population and culture of people are obviously different to us here, therefore our writers have to be aware to our culture sensitivity even if what writers(outside) wants or try to share with the society are facts that the governments don’t want to reveal. That’s the nature of having governments in a nation.
I believe there will always be pros and cons in every decision making process. Freedom of writing for a writer has always been the issue that all Malaysian writers fight for, however in my own perspective and ideology, I just have to say that many Malaysian writers are not ready to be ethical and responsible in deliberating and sharing their thoughts and opinions. Bias, racism and sensitive issues have always been the tools to attract readers hence somehow or rather it is going to influence the fresh mentality of our online readers. With these arguments, I believe that Malaysian online journalism should be controlled.
